Jerry Kassali is a founding member and the bassist of punk and new wave legends, Devo.

Devo started at Kent State University in the early 1970s.

Jerry and his friend Bob Lewis had been working on various art projects involving Devo

Lucien, the idea that human evolution has peaked and is now receding.

After meeting keyboardist Mark Mothers-Bob, the group transitioned their projects from

performance art to rock music.

And Devo, the Devo Lucienary band, was born.

The band ground out a batch of original songs and developed a confrontational live show

in Akron.

Then with the help of some of their early fans, like David Bowie and Iggy Pop, signed

with Warner Brothers Records.

And with their 1980 platinum-selling single WIPIT became nationally known.

Over the course of nearly 50 years, nine studio albums, a mountain of B-sides, rarities,

demos, and live releases, Devo has spread the gospel of Devo Lucien to the masses.

Today, we're talking to Jerry about all of this and more.

And I'm just going to lay my cards on the table and say that I think Devo is one of the,

if not the great American rock bands.

And that Devo Lucien is an essential pillar of Chappell mindset.

Nobody else rocks his hard while also so clearly or cleverly channeling the American

consumer subject neurotic id as it raises through pop culture, advertising, media, whatever.

So I'm very proud to bring this interview for subscribers today.

And I'm probably going to make it public tomorrow, since hey, it'll be my long delayed

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